On Night Network, the Cribs trade the serrated punk of 24-7 Rockstar Shit for guitar pop that's as joyous as it is cathartic. Exploring the extremes of their sound is nothing new for this band, but the reasons behind the shift seem clearer than ever this time around. Not long after the release of their previous album, the Cribs parted ways with their management when they discovered the rights to their early songs belonged to someone else. During the year and a half they spent in a protracted but successful legal battle to regain ownership of their music, they recorded Night Network at their longtime friend Dave Grohl's Los Angeles studio. Given the heaviness in their lives at the time, it's no wonder that the Cribs opted to make music that's lighter and often wiser-sounding than what came before it. On their first self-produced album, they don't just strip away much of 24-7's aggression and distortion; they come to terms with the complexities of the past on Night Network's frequently gorgeous songs. They begin the album by bidding a not-so-fond farewell to anyone who underestimated them on "Goodbye," where "ba-ba-ba" backing vocals and plush harmonies call to mind the Beach Boys. They're one of Night Network's major influences, whether on the lilting melody of "Under the Bus Station Clock"'s everyday romance or the aching falsetto choruses of "Never Thought I'd Feel Again." On these songs and "Running into You," where they pair squalling guitars with Phil Spector's booming percussion, the Cribs use vintage pop touches to have a dialogue with the past that's deeper and more complex than mere nostalgia. Though they look back fondly on times gone by with "Deep Infatuation"'s flirtatious wit, the longing that runs through songs as different as the rave-up "Screaming in Suburbia" and the swaying ballad "The Weather Speaks Your Name" is ambivalent and nuanced. By the time "In the Neon Night" says good riddance to innocence with its overflowing melody and emotions, the Cribs prove once again that they're just as genuine when they show their sweet side as when they bare their teeth. A career highlight filled with well-earned warmth, Night Network is exactly the kind of album the Cribs should be making as they near their 20th anniversary.